Breastfeeding is more than just infant nutrition

Breastfeeding in the context of women’s health

Breastfeeding is often viewed primarily through the lens of infant nutrition and health. But its significance extends much further, with important implications for a mother’s physical and mental health as well.

In our contribution to the “Women’s Health” special supplement in the September 2026 issue of annabelle, we explore this broader perspective and consider how scientific evidence, professional support, and supportive environments can contribute to women’s health and well-being.

The article was originally published in German. Below is the full article in English.

By Dr. Katharina Lichtner, Managing Director of the Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation

When breastfeeding is discussed, the focus is usually on the newborn. Is the baby getting enough milk? Is it developing well? Yet breastfeeding also has implications for the mother’s mental and physical health, both immediately after birth and well beyond. For mothers, this is a vulnerable period in which physical and hormonal changes, sleep deprivation and new responsibilities all come together. Breastfeeding is part of this experience, making it about far more than nutrition.

Between Protection and Strain

This is particularly evident when it comes to mental health. In Switzerland, almost 17 percent of women experience mental health conditions during pregnancy or within the first year after giving birth. Yet in maternity care, these conditions are currently identified in only a small proportion of those affected.

The relationship between breastfeeding and postpartum depression is also more complex than it may seem. Scientifically, it cannot be said across the board that breastfeeding protects against depression, nor that mental health conditions inevitably lead to breastfeeding problems. Rather, the two can influence each other. Positive breastfeeding experiences may foster closeness and a sense of self-efficacy and may involve physiological processes that can help reduce stress. At the same time, pain, difficulties establishing breastfeeding, sleep deprivation or the feeling of not living up to one’s own or society’s expectations can add to the strain. What matters, therefore, is how women are supported.

From Science to Practice

A project at Inselspital Bern demonstrates what this kind of support can look like in practice. Together with the University Psychiatric Services, an interdisciplinary service was developed for women with pre-existing mental health conditions or psychosocial challenges. A specially qualified advanced practice midwife serves as a link between obstetrics, psychiatry, psychology and other specialist disciplines.

“Effective breastfeeding support does not mean placing yet another expectation on women. It means recognizing their individual situation, providing them with reliable information and professional support, and creating the conditions that enable them to make an informed decision for themselves and their child,” says Lena Suter, from Inselspital Bern.

The experience gained through this model is now being made available to other maternity hospitals across Switzerland. With support from the Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation, a practice-oriented handbook is being developed that sets out the professional, structural and financial requirements for establishing such a service and how these can be implemented as cost-effectively as possible. Among other things, it includes tools for systematic early identification, training materials and practical approaches to interdisciplinary collaboration. The aim is to identify mental health challenges, or the risk of developing them, earlier and provide women with greater continuity of support.

The project illustrates a challenge that extends far beyond mental health: scientific evidence alone does not change care. What matters is translating that evidence into solutions that genuinely reach health professionals, women and families in their everyday lives – both in Switzerland and internationally.

This is precisely where the Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation focuses its efforts. It was founded in Switzerland in 2013 by Michael and Göran Larsson together with their father, Olle Larsson, in honor of their mother, Doris. Its work focuses on breastfeeding and human milk, and on translating scientific evidence into practical solutions with lasting impact. Since its establishment, the Foundation has committed a total amount of over a 100 million Swiss francs  to research, knowledge transfer and practical implementation.

Another example is the project assessing how breastfeeding-friendly Switzerland is, conducted under the scientific leadership of ZHAW Health Sciences at Zurich University of Applied Sciences, with administrative support and funding from the Foundation. For the first time, the political and healthcare system conditions for breastfeeding in Switzerland were systematically assessed to determine where action is needed. The findings led to 12 concrete recommendations, ranging from the development of a national breastfeeding strategy and a stronger policy framework to improving how breastfeeding knowledge is incorporated into the education of health professionals.

The Foundation’s holistic approach therefore does not end with policy recommendations. What matters is how these recommendations can be translated into the realities of everyday life – including the workplace. For many women, returning to work is the point at which it becomes clear whether breastfeeding can be reconciled with their daily lives and careers. The Foundation therefore plans to take a closer look at the conditions for breastfeeding in the workplace in Switzerland in the near future. After all, a personal decision can only be put into practice when the surrounding conditions make it possible.

Between Individual Choice and Long-Term Health

Not every woman can breastfeed. Not every woman wants to. And even a strong desire to breastfeed can encounter health-related, family or professional barriers. Good breastfeeding support therefore does not mean measuring women against an ideal. It means enabling them to make an individual decision based on evidence-based, realistic information, qualified guidance and appropriate support.

Further research also demonstrates the relevance of breastfeeding to maternal health. Studies have, for example, found associations between breastfeeding and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and ovarian cancer. The relationship between breastfeeding and breast cancer risk has also been extensively studied, with the protective effect appearing to increase with the duration of breastfeeding. This example in particular illustrates why breastfeeding should not be viewed solely as a matter of infant nutrition.

Keeping the Mother in Focus

On the occasion of the Foundation’s tenth anniversary, Michael Larsson, co-founder of the Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation, summed up the task in essence as follows: there is still a long way to go in strengthening breastfeeding sustainably, but by working together, the potential is enormous.

Perhaps that journey begins with a simple shift in perspective: after birth, we should not only ask what is good for the child, but just as naturally ask what the mother needs.

Because breastfeeding does not only concern the child. Its importance for maternal health extends far beyond childbirth.